The Moon Landing. JFK’s assassination. 9/11. Tupac being alive. There are just some conspiracy theories that never seem to go away. 

The controversial claim about Tupac arose on social media again this weekend thanks to some startlingly clear images of the late rapper. It really doesn’t take much to get conspiracy theorists going.

Pictures of Tupac started spreading online around June 16th, his birthdate, with many taken aback by the crystal clear clarity of them. Soon Tupac’s name was trending on Twitter. Soon people were speculating that the incredible images were a sure sign that he was still alive and well.

Love Hip Hop?

Get the latest Hip Hop news, features, updates and giveaways straight to your inbox Learn more

“Tupac has too many fresh pictures. It’s starting to get suspicious,” was one very popular tweet. “One day, the person behind Tupac’s account will post a picture of him holding iPhone 13,” someone else joked. “Tupac died in 1990s and the were no quality pictures like this,” someone else insisted.

As just as many other people pointed out though, technology has advanced to such a level now that an old picture – yes, I did just refer to the 90s as old – can be easily manipulated. “You’ll let Tupac rest, it’s all Photoshop,” one doubter demanded. A side-by-side example of an old Tupac picture and an enhanced version were provided as evidence. Lots of fans also mocked the conspiracies for ignoring the effects of ageing on a person’s body.

For those not prone to conspiracy theories, Tupac died on September 13th, 1996, after a drive-by shooting several days prior. The idea that he’s secretly alive has never went away, however, with even Suge Knight saying several times that his late friend was still alive and kicking.

In other Tupac news, a docuseries about the rapper and his activist mum, Afeni Shakur, is on the way. Taking its name from one of the late rapper’s most beloved songs, Dear Mama is “told through the eyes of the people who knew them best.”

“An intimate wide-angle portrait of the most inspiring and dangerous mother-son duo in American history, whose unified message of freedom, equality, persecution and justice are more relevant today than ever,” the official description explains.

Dear Mama is expected to premiere on FX later this year. Each episode will be available to stream on Hulu the day after it first airs on FX.

For more on this topic, follow the Hip Hop Observer.

https://twitter.com/juicceyy/status/1537860806200655873?s=21

Get unlimited access to the coverage that shapes our culture.
to Rolling Stone magazine
to Rolling Stone magazine